Method for producing an electrode structure

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for production of an electrode structure, including: producing a longitudinal body having a core and at least one layer made of an electrode material surrounding the core; removing a part of the layer made of electrode material while forming a plurality of electrodes that are arranged such as to be distributed in the longitudinal direction and which are separated from each other, and contact paths that extend in the longitudinal direction and adjoin the electrodes, each, as the same part; applying a layer made of a polymeric material while embedding, at least in part, the electrodes and/or contact paths.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for producing an electrode structure comprising:
 a. producing a longitudinal body having a core and at least one layer made of an electrode material surrounding the core; 
 b. removing a part of the layer made of electrode material while forming a plurality of electrodes that are arranged such as to be distributed in a longitudinal direction and which are separated from each other, and contact paths that extend in the longitudinal direction and adjoin the electrodes, each, as the same part; and 
 c. applying a layer made of a polymeric material while embedding, at least in part, the electrodes and/or contact paths formed in step b; 
 characterized in that the core is removed after step c and in that a resulting hollow space is filled, at least partly, with a material while forming a new core. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the con consists of a metal. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that step b is implemented by erosive removal of the electrode material. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the erosive removal proceeds by means of a laser or spark erosion. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the removal proceeds by means of an ultra-short pulse laser. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that step b is implemented by means of a photochemical process. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that step c proceeds by extrusion of the polymeric material, by printing the polymeric material, by application from a liquid phase or by deposition from a gas phase. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized by selective removal of the polymeric layer applied in step c., at least in regions of the electrodes. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , comprising bending the longitudinal body about the longitudinal direction into a shape. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the at least one layer made of electrode material is surrounded by a second layer made of an electrode material, whereby the at least one layer and the second layers made of electrode material are separated by an insulating layer. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the longitudinal body tapers at least over a section in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the electrode structure produced by the method is provided as cochlear electrode for arrangement in an inner ear. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least some of the electrodes are provided as part of a sensor.